238 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Sxpr., 1897. 
Coffee. 
WILL COFFEE-GROWING PAY ? 
By D. BUCHANAN, 
“Manager, State Nursery, Mackay. 
I aw sometimes asked the question—* Will coffee pay?” By this, of course, 
is meant not whether coffee as an article of trade will pay, but whether it, as a 
field crop, will pay the cultivator. 
I would advise all those who are in doubt about the matter to visit the 
State Nursery and sce for themselves the crops on the trees here. Mr. Dansy, 
manager of the Mackay Coffee Company’s estate, says he has not seen a better 
crop in Ceylon. Most people say that coffee must be grown scientifically, and 
for some, this word “science” seems to have a fearful significance, but at the 
Nursery they may see a crop grown on non-scientific principles. At the 
outset I began planting on scientific lines. Starting at the surface of the 
ground, it was considered necessary to maintain a clear height of stem of 
6 or 8 inches, without any branches. This single stem was to be continued, 
and no suckers were to be allowed to grow. 
Under this system 1 soon found that all the plants would require staking. 
This was all very well for a few months, but when the branches began to grow, 
I saw that the stakes were not strong enough, and they had therefore to be 
replaced ; then when the usual wet season, with its gales of wind, swept over the 
plants, neither stakes nor stems could resist their violence, and the greater part 
of the plants were laid flat. I very soon came to the conclusion that the local 
conditions and the scientific working were not in accord with each other, and 
that some different plan must be adopted. 
No more pruning and no more destruction of suckers taking place, the 
single stem soon thickened, the branches began to rest on the ground, and 
formed the necessary support for the trees. ‘The result is that the trees are in 
fine condition, and the crop of berries is as was stated by Mr. Dansy, 
Some books recommend manuring; and the scientific method recommended 
consists of digging a hole or two round the roots, in which the manure is 
placed. Now, the consequence of this is that the roots cut off in digging 
receive no benefit, and those at a distance from the holes would have to travel 
if they wanted to share in the good things supplied in the shape of manure. ” 
My non-scientific method was to spread the manure over the surface of the 
ground within a radius of some 8 feet from the stem, and then lightly prick 
it in with a digging fork. ‘The result of this was that, as soon as the rain fell, 
the plants showed dark-green foliage in abundance. ? 
: It is just possible that when the coffee “ expert’ visits this Nursery he 
may order these bushes to be dug up, and I would therefore advise anyone 
who has been lamenting his ignorance of coffee-growing to come here, and, 
after what he has seen, he will perhaps have an easier mind. 
The other day I had a visit from an intending coffee-grower, who no doubt 
was impressed with fears for his success after reading a mass of books on the 
subject. After looking at several of the bushes, he ex ressed the opinion that 
growing coffee by book was not the way to succeed. There is, however, a 
danger of going to extremes on either side, but it is plain that hard-and-fast 
rules must give way to circumstances. 
